Football, as Sly & The Family Stone didn't say but almost certainly meant, is a family affair.

That will definitely be the case at Old Trafford, when Manchester United take on Saint Etienne in the Europa League. In United's midfield, you will find Paul Pogba. And in St Etienne's defence, you will find Florentin Pogba, Paul's older brother.

“For sure it's a momentous occasion for us and for sure I'll be swapping shirts with him," Florentin claimed ahead of the match.

The Pogbas: about to go into brotherly battle (Image: Icon Sport/Getty)

Their 'reunion' got us thinking about other sets of siblings who have made their mark in football. And, this being the internet, that thinking swiftly turned into ranking.

Below, we order the sibling sets based on a methodology that – if we're being completely honest – we never really managed to firm up. Let's just call it gut feeling, shall we?

Also, pre-emptive apologies for any really obvious ones we missed. On with the show...

1. Bobby & Jack Charlton

(Image: Ley Charlie/Daily Mirror)

We start with a simple one. The Charlton brothers won the World Cup in the same side . That alone would be plenty, but then there are their individual achievements: Sir Bobby 's three league titles and a Ballon d'Or; Jack's title win with Leeds in 1969 and impressive spell in charge of the Republic of Ireland.

Negative points for their fraught relationship in the last few years, but they top the rankings by some distance.

2. Sócrates & Raí

(Image: Getty)

I think we all know just how cool Sócrates was, but here's a brief primer for those at the back: he was a cigarette-smoking, backheel-happy, democracy-campaigning, aphorism-spouting ACTUAL DOCTOR. As in: he had a degree in medicine.

His brother wasn't quite as celebrated but is a bona fide legend at both São Paulo FC and Paris Saint-Germain. Plus he won the World Cup in 1994, 12 years after Sócrates' side came up short.

3. Giuseppe & Franco Baresi

(Image: Action/Getty)

In at three are the brave Baresi boys. Franco's standing in the global game is hardly up for debate – he managed the feat of finishing finishing first, second and third at World Cups and must be considered Italy's best ever defender – but older brother Giuseppe was no slouch either, racking up almost 400 appearances for Inter.

4. Michael & Brian Laudrup

(Image: Daily Record)

The Laudrups were blessed with ludicrous ability and complemented each other beautifully. Michael was the central schemer, capable of splitting defences with a waft of that subtle right foot, while Brian was the twisting bewitcher on the wing.

Plus their collective hair game was never anything other than absolutely sensational.

5. Frank & Ronald De Boer

(Image: Andrew Milligan/PA)

For a whole generation of football fans, any mention of the Netherlands national team conjures images of the magnificent underachievers of the 1990s and early 2000s. And perhaps no players represent that generation better than the silky De Boer twins.

Bonus points for having played together at no fewer than five clubs, and for the fact that Frank was left-footed and Ronald preferred his right.

6. Gary & Phil Neville

(Image: Getty Images)

Scoff all you want, but the Neville brothers deserve their place in the upper echelons of this list. Gary may have faded badly in the years before his retirement but was a staple of Manchester United's success during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign, while the more versatile Phil was a better player than many gave him credit for. And now we have a natty managerial double-act to look forward to. Matching tracksuits would probably push them into the top five.

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7. Gabriel & Diego Milito

(Image: Getty)

The Argentine pair played for rival sides in their youth and presumably spent their formative years playing attack vs defence: Gabriel was a sturdy, clever centre-back while Diego's career has seen him plunder goals in Italy and Spain. The latter is still going strong at 36 in his homeland.

9. Rafael & Thiago Alcantara

(Image: Getty)

The sons of World Cup winner Mazinho, these two could yet rise further up the list. Added intersting detail: depsiote being brothers, they play for different national teams. Thiago plays for Spain, while Rafinha has represented Brazil.

10. Paolo & Fabio Cannavaro

(Image: Getty)

One is a World-Cup-winning captain and perhaps the best defender of the modern era. The other is a jobbing Serie A stalwart, still going at 34.

Points deducted for that imbalance, but you imagine the assorted members of the Cannavaro clan are fairly proud of the family's achievements.

11. Eden & Thorgan Hazard

(Image: Getty)

Another pair high up the list despite a slight imbalance. Mind you, Thorgan Hazard's progress at at Borussia Monchengladbach means he's not as far behind Eden as you might think.

12. Ronald & Erwin Koeman

(Image: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

Younger sibling Ronald enjoyed a superb career in the Netherlands at Barcelona, establishing himself as one of the great deep-lying ball players in Europe. Erwin didn't quite hit the same heights but still clocked up 31 games for the national side. They now work together at Southampton.

13. Jerome & Kevin-Prince Boateng

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

OK, they're technically only half-brothers, but they make up for it by taking the Alcantara approach to international football: Jerome – a flop at Manchester City a few years ago – has matured into one of Germany's stalwarts, while Kevin-Prince comes out of international retirement every time Ghana reach a big competition.

14. Rafael & Fabio da Silva

(Image: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)

Some of the shine may have come off with Fabio's slow descent and Rafael's Old Trafford exit, but few sets of footballing siblings can match the sheer cuteness of these two. Just look at them! Lovely.

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15. Rob & Richard Witschge

(Image: Getty)

Slightly odd-looking blonde brothers who came through the Ajax academy, the Witschge's were basically prototype versions of the De Boers. Bonus points for playing exactly the same number of games (31) for the Oranje .

16. Lars & Sven Bender

(Image: Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Image)

They're twins. They're identical. They play in the same position. More of this please, world.

17. Andre & Jordan Ayew

(Image: MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Mainstays in the Ghana side, the Ayew boys – sons of Abedi Pele – are now tearing up in England. Well, sort of. Andre is currently at West Ham and Jordan has just signed for Swansea.

18. Filippo & Simone Inzaghi

(Image: Reuters/PA)

If SuperPippo was born offside, his brother Simone – born three years earlier and blessed with the same bruised good looks – was born under a bad sign; aside from one season with Piacenza, he never managed more than seven goals in a Serie A season.

19. Anton & Rio Ferdinand

(Image: Action Images / Scott Heavey)

Perhaps the best English defender of his generation and a respectable slogger. Like the Cannavaros, but taller. And without a World Cup medal.

20. Jonathan & Giovani Dos Santos

(Image: Getty)

Gio is one of those footballers it's impossible not to like, all flicks, subtle touches and undeniable fragility. His brother is maturing nicely at Villarreal.

21. Aleksei & Vasili Berezutski

(Image: Dima Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images)

They may look like henchmen in a Bond film ("You von't get avay from us that easily, Mr Striker") but these two have well over 100 Russia caps between them.

22. Rod & Ray & Danny Wallace

(Image: Action Images / Paul Childs)

There are three of them, which quite literally gives them a numerical advantage over all other sibling sets on this list.

23. Mikel & Xabi Alonso

(Image: Getty)

Sorry Mikel, but you're dragging Xabi down.

24. Hamit & Halil Altintop

(Image: OLIVER LANG/AFP/Getty Images)

I know at least one of them is quite good and scored that amazing volley a while back, but I can't actually remember which. Could look it up, but this has taken me long enough already.

25. Paul, Florentin and Mathias Pogba

(Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Sorry, Pogbas. There may be three of you, but your insistence on doing this sort of thing has pushed you down the list:

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26. Shola & Sammy Ameobi

(Image: Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

One is a striker who never scores. The other is the footballing equivalent of a unicorn, all whimsical and unlikely. But they're not as interesting as I've just made them sound.

27. Philipp & David Degen

(Image: PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty)

One of them was another of those weird players Liverpool bought when they were a bit rubbish (Sean Dundee, anyone?). The other one looks EXACTLY THE SAME. Look at the photo above for long enough and you'll need therapy.

28. Siem & Luuk De Jong

(Image: OLAF KRAAK/AFP/Getty Images)

"Hello, is that the Dutch football hotline? Yes, this is Mike Ashley. Tell me, do you have any other De Jong brothers kicking around? I'm pretty sure the two you've sent us so far have been defective."

29. Noel & Steven Hunt

(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

One of them gave the world Petr Cech's scrum cap, which is good enough to keep them off the bottom.